Loan (Exhibition)
Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts, UEA, Norwich, October 15 2016- February 12 2017, Fiji: Art and Life in the Pacific
Event Date
Author: maa

Description (CMS Description)
Breastplate of ivory and shell.
Event Date 1/6/1996
Author: maa

Description (CMS Description)
Large circular breastplate made from four curving sections of whale tooth/ivory with a central section made from a large piece of black-lipped oyster shell, turtle-shaped. The shell is carved with four trapezoidal protrusion at the sides and bottom and a rectangular protrusion at the top. The sections of ivory are butted together and secured by paired holes cut at an angle into the edge of each section. The top of the breastplate is pierced with two holes to which are attached two lengths of 3-ply plaited hibiscus fibre. Each end of the cord is knotted. At the back the pieces of whale ivory are tied together with thin twisted vegetable fibre. The piece of pearl shell is maintained in position with eight square and round-headed metal nails. At the front, the whale ivory is of a very light cream colour. At the back, it is very scratched of a really deep honey colour.
Event Date 28/1/2013
Author: maa

Context (CMS Context)
This breastplate is probably the one collected on 5 August 1876 and mentioned in Von Hügel's journal: 'I did not procure more than a few good things - a fine pearl shell and tabua (whale's tooth) breastplate, two more shell horns and a few decent clubs.' (Roth & Hooper 1990: 381).
Event Date 28/1/2013
Author: Lucie Carreau

Context (CMS Context)
Labels & inscriptions: 'Koro Nasau, Nadroga, Viti Levu. August 76. A.v.H' inscribed in ink on whale ivory at the back. A rectangular cream label reads [handwritten in brown ink:] '22/ Civa vonovono. (Pearl shell - inlaid). Breastplate used by Fijians at mekes [word illegible][?]bust of Tonga origin' on one side and 'Koro Nasau ([?]I saru) Nadroga, Viti Levu. Aug. 76. A.v.H. 1/6 [?pack]'. '1923.H166.' and 'Z. 2741' inscribed in black ink on the front of the breastplate.
Event Date 28/1/2013
Author: Lucie Carreau

Context (CMS Context)
Catalogue card 1 reads: [stamped in black ink:] 'Z 2741 FIJI'. [typed:] 'Koro Nasau. Tholo West Province (Nandronga.) Viti Levu. Breastplate of ivory and shell. Ciwa ['Thiwa' typed above and 'Thiva' handwritten in pencil above] vono vono, of Tongan origin but used by the Fijians on Solevu and meke occasions. Solevu = a large gathering of people, meke = a dance. "Vono Ciwa ['Thiva' handwritten in pencil above] (civa) = inlaid with pearl shell." [brackets have been added in pencil around 'pearl' and a '?' added above 'pearl']. [added in pencil:] 'Dictionary) ? turtle shell. K. Roth spells it THIVA'. [stamped in blue ink:] 'THE VON HÜGEL COLLECTION' [typed:] 'August 1876.' [added in pencil in the bottom left corner:] '1/260'. [added in blue pen:] '1923 H 166'. [added in black pen:] '(Centenary Exhibition)'. [stamped in blue ink:] 'SHOW CASE NUMBER 1'. A round red sticker pasted on the card.
Catalogue card 2 reads: [handwritten in black ink:] 'Z 2741. Koro Nasau. Tholo west province (nandronga) VITI LEVU. Breastplate of ivory & shell CIWA THIWA[' THIVA' added in pencil above] vonovono of Tongan origin but used by the Fijians on Solevu and Meke occasions. Solevu = large gathering of people. Meke = a dance. "Vono Ciwa ['THIVA' added in pencil above] (civa) = inlaid with pearl shell." [brackets have been added in pencil around 'pearl' and a '?' added above 'pearl']. [added in pencil:] 'Dictionary) ? turtle shell. K. Roth spells it THIVA F.J.H.'. 'August 1876 Show Case Number 1'. [added in blue pend:] C + D. A. VON HUGEL'. [added in pencil:] '1/260'.
Event Date 28/1/2013
Author: Lucie Carreau

Context (CMS Context)
Exhibited: 'Chiefs & Governors: Art and power in Fiji', Cambridge MAA, 7 June 2013 - 19 April 2014.
Event Date 25/4/2014
Author: Remke van der Velden

Conservation (Assessment Only)
CON.2015.1979 | Assessment Only
Event Date 28/8/2015
Author: rah99

Description (CMS Description)
Breast plate
Event Date 7/12/2016
Author: maa

Conservation ()
CON.2014.143 |
Event Date 1/3/2016
Author: maa